Ore washer or concentrator



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet -1.

- C. F. PIKE.

ORE WASHER 0R 4GONCENTMITOR.

Patented Nov. 113,41894.

I INVENTOR M WITNESSES;

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Paitented'lNov. 13, 1894.

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G. F. PIKE.` ORE WASHER on GONGBNTRATOR.

(No Mogel.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

e. P. PIKE. ORE WASHER 0R GONGENTRATOR.

N0. 528,975. Patented Nov. 13, 1894;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORE WASHER OR CONENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 528,975, dated November13, 1894.

Application filed J'nne 10, 1893. Renewed April 17, 1894. Serial No.507.940. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PIKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OreWashers or Concentrators; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention has relation to ore washers and concentrators of that formwherein the ore or gangue is deposited in a vessel at one side,subjected to the agitating influence of Water in motion and isdischarged by suc tion; and it has for its object to increase theeiciency of such machines; and to this end the gangue or ore is dividedor separated into diiferent grades of fineness and each grade isseparately fed into the washer at varying distances from the suctionpipe inlet in order that each grade may be subjected to a differentstrength or velocity of suction force previously to being discharged.This admits of a primary separation of the diderent sizes of metal inthe ore or gangue and secondly of a more thorough individual separationof the metal from the lighter or waste material of each grade, andfinally it avoids the discharge ot' metal by segregation or that actionwherein particles of metal especially small particles are carried alongby and discharged with large or bulky lighter material by adhesionthereto, as is the case when all, of the ore or gangue is fed into thesame strength or velocity of suction force as has heretofore been done.

My invention has for its further object to separate from the ore organgue, and from the concentrated metal, any sand or other mateamount ofpower required for operating the discharge pump.

Another object of my invention is to provide an efficient, durable andeconomically operated washer or concentrator for working large bulks ofore or gangue thoroughly and rapidly.`

My invention accordingly consists of the combinations, constructions andarrangements of parts as hereinafter more fully described in thespecification and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l, is avertical section, partly in elevation, of a form of washer andconcentrator embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan, partlysectional, of the perforated swinging or hinged bottom and part of itscontrolling mechanism, for the main chamber of the washer. Fig. 3 is'anelevation, showing the connecting rod coupling connection with thereciprocating car located in the outlet chamber of the washer, drawn toan enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. l ofanother form of my improvements. Fig. 5 is a plan `of washer shown inFig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan, partly sectional, of an oblong form of washer,and Fig. 7 is a section of the lower outlet end of washer with aseparator attachment located and operating therein.

A represents the washer which as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 consists of anouter chamber B having a lower outlet chamber b with drain cock b', andof an inner chamber C. This latter chamber as shown has laterallyprojecting lower and upper lugs c and c respectively on opposite sides;or a number of them radially arranged may be used. The upper lugs c cpass through elongated openings d d in a flange d which surrounds theupper part of chamber C exteriorly, and depends from a top plate D. yThe lugs c c have threaded openings for engagement with supporting andadjusting screws E E for chamber C; the upper 'ends of said screws beingswiveled ate to plate D and their lower unthreaded ends e sliding inopenings in lugs c c which form guides for said screw ends. By adjustingthe screws E E the chamber C may be raised or lowered IOO as desired fora purpose hereinafter dei scribed.

The plate D, supporting the chamber C, may be secured to the casing ofchamber B as shown in Fig. 4, in which case the chamber isnon-rotatable. If it is desired to rotate chamber C, said plate D hasroller bea'ringscZ2 d2, see more plainly Fig. 1, mounted on the casin gof chamberB as desired or shown and the top plate D is provided with agear d3 which meshes with a driving pinion d4; or any other suitablepower transmitting devices may be used.

The chamber C as shown is open at both ends, and it has perforations c2in its sides, and a reticulated or perforated hinged bottom c3 which mayhave a crank or other suitable connection c4 with ahandle or actuatingbar c5 for dropping and raising said bottom from the outside of themachine Whenever required. Said bar c5 may pass up through chamber C asshown in Fig. 1 and have a locking bolt c6 for holding the bottom in itsraised position; or said bar may pass later'- all;T through the casingof chamber B, as indicated in Fig. 4. Chamber C may have an overflowpipe cI if desired. See more plainly Fi 4.

represents the suction discharge pipe leading from chamber C to a pump fwhich may discharge onto a screen f' or otherwise as desired.

G and H are the feed supply pipes for different grades or fineness ofore or gangue; G being the feed pipe for the lightest and least bulkymaterial and H for the heavier and bulkier material of the ore organgue. The exit ends g and h of these pipes are arranged relatively totheinlet end f2 of the suction pipe so that thelighter and less bulkygrade of ore or gangue is fed into the chamber C at a greater distanceaway from the inlet end f2 than are the heavier and bulkier materials,so that the former will be subject to less suction influence than thelatter and more time is afforded for the metal of each grade to becompletely separated or comminuted from the lighter or Waste materialthereof before the latter comes Within the full infinence of the suctionforce for discharging the same. Hence the metal contained in each gradehas ample opportunity to separate from its individual grade and descendto the perforated bottom ca before the Waste material thereof acquiresits maximum discharging velocity. The heavier or more bulky grades beingnearer to the suction force are correspondingly acted on for completelyseparating their contained metal from the waste material. Thisseparation of the ore or gangue into different grades and feeding eachgrade separately into chamber C not only results in a complete primaryseparation of the differ ent sizes of the metal in the ore or ganguefrom one another and a more thorough agitation of and individ ualseparation of the metal by gravity in each grade from the Waste productsthereof before the latter acquire their maximum discharging velocity,but also reduces to a minimum the tendency of the finer particles ofmetal of any grade being carried by segregation with the waste materialsof the same or another grade to the discharge tube.

The feed pipes G and I-l are so supported that they move vertically Withchamber C when it is adjusted in order to vary the distance of the exitends of feed-tubes G II to and from the inlet end of suction pipe F. Theadjustment of chamber C and tubes G and H insteadof the suction tube Fas heretofore results in greater variation or regulation of suctionforce for the discharge Without increasing the height of the column ofwater to be lifted by the pump. Hence less power is required for runningthe latter and the work it has to do is constant or never varies when anadjustment is made, which is done whenever the grade of the gravel, oreor gangue supplied to the machine varies.

The tubes G and H are supplied from hoppers g and h' respectively whichin turn are fed by a revolving, stationary or other suitably constructedscreen L having meshes of different grades Z and Z respectively and anoutlet end Z2 for bowlders or other like useless bulky material.

If desired the screen L maybe supplied from an initial shaking screen Kwhich separates all the largest and useless material from the gaugue orore before it passes into the screen L. l

The operation is obvious. The grades of ore or gangue fed into chamber Care first brought to a comparative state of rest by the inclined orarresting plates or ends g3 and h4 respectively, so as to drop or slideinto the Water in said chamber without undue force. Their par ticles areseparated, allowing the free metal and its compounds too heavy for thesuction force in pipe F to discharge, to drop to the screen orperforated bottom, the mesh of which may be fine enough to admit only oftine particles, like black-sand or other foreign substance, passingtherethrough. If desired, such falling metal may be still furtherscreened by a reciprocating screen or box of fine mesh n, havingsuitably mounted and operating mechanism n n', as shown in Fig. l; orsuch mechanism may be otherwise provided for and actuated as desired. Asthe falling metal passes out of the drain cock b when opened,

it, with the accompanying flow ofwater, may

be permitted to fall apon a reciprocating separator-table m, having aquick return motion which will separate the pure metal from the impureor other foreign substances as shown in Fig. 4. lf desired suchseparator may be located in chamber b, as shown iu Fig. 7, in which casethe angle of the separator table is varied as it is reciprocated, itbeing of less or minimum inclination on its quick return and of amaximum inclination on its forward IOO IIO

slow motion; such variation in the incline of the table being providedto subserve the function of a flow of water upon such table when itsinclination is constant. Any suitable means may be provided for varyingsuch inclination, a form of which is showniin Fig'. 7, consisting of afixed incline m for theroller m2 on the rear end of the table to ride upand down on as it is reciprocated.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the ore or gangue is dividedinto different grades; that each grade is separately fed into the washerat a different distance from the inlet end of the suction pipe to exposethe different grades to varying degrees of suction and afford eachgradeample time for complete separation of all its particles and prevent thesame coming into close contact with other particles of varying size tomechanically or by segregation carry with them any pure metal whendischarged; that impure metal or foreign metal or other heavy substancesare separated from the gangue and are not carried to the amalgamatingchamber; that such iinpure metal or foreign substances are furtherseparated from the pure metal, either before emerging from the machine,or after. If the former, suitable pockets or outlets are provided forthe separated metals or substances as indicated at p, Fig. 7.

rI he washer may have an inlet water pipe or supply as shown at s, Fig.4, to provide for an upward iiow of Water in chambers B and C to assistin agitation and separation of the ore or gangue fed to chamber C. Ifdesired, hoW-' ever, such water supply may be fed to the washer with theore or gangue, as shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the constructions and arrangementsof parts herein described may be variously changed without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

What I claim isl. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of areceiving vessel, a number of feed devices for feeding ores of differentgrades into said vessel, and a suction discharge device,the field offorce of which is diiferently located for the dierent grades of ore fedinto said vessel, substantially as set forth.

2. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a receivingvessel, different feed devices for feeding different grades of ores intosaid vessel, and a suction discharge device located at Varying distancesfrom said feed devices, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a washer or concentrator, of a feed, a dischargedevice for the waste-matters, a chamber for the concentrations, and aseparator below said chamber, and mechanism for actuating said separatorfor separating the collective concentrations into different grades,substantially as set forth.

4. In an ore washer and concentrating device, the'method of separatingfrom the pure metal the impure metal or other heavy substances desiredto be saved, which consists in successively and continuously feeding allthe ore or gangue into the washer, then separating all the pure andimpure metals and'said heavy substances from the ore or gangue, anddischarging the waste-matters, and then separating the concentrationsinto their different desired grades, substantially as set forth.

5. In an ore washer and concentrator, the combination of a lengthwiseadjustable ore or gangue receiving and discharging chamber, a suctiondischarge tube and adjustable feed tubes depending into said chamber,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a screen supply having different meshes, separatefeed tube for each such grade, asuction discharge tube, and means forvarying the distance of the outlet ends of said feed tubes to and fromthe inlet end of the suction pipe, substantially as set forth.

7. In an ore washer and concentrator, the combination of a lengthwiseadjustable ore or gangue receiving and discharging chamber, means forrotating said chamber, a suction discharge and adjustable feed-tubesdepending into said chamber, substantially as set forth.

8. In an ore washer and concentrator the combination of a chamber, aseries of feed pipes, a discharge appliance, and the outlet ends of saidfeed pipes having a varying location distantly from the inlet end ofsaid discharge appliance, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with an ore washer and concentrator, of a chamberChaving a perforated bottom, means for opening and closing said bottom,a reciprocating screen below said bottom and actuating devices for saidscreen, substantially as set forth.

.10. The combination with an ore-washer and concentrator, of a receivingchamber for the ore or gangue having an outlet chamber for theconcentrations, a separator in said outlet chamber for the concentrator,consisting of reciprocating inclined table with a quick return motionand which alters its inclination as it reciprocates, and actuatingmechanism for said table, substantially as set forth.

1l. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a receivingvessel, a suction .discharge device, a number of feed devices forsimultaneously feeding different grades of ore into said vessel, theoutlet ends of said feed devices located at different distances from theinlet end of said discharge device, and a water supply for said vessel,substantially as set forth.

12. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a receivingvessel, a feed-device for simultaneously feeding separate dif- IOO IIO

ferent grades of ore into said vessel, and `of all the different gradesfed into `said vessel,

discharge device varyingly located relativfely substantially as setforth. 1o to the feed of the different grades of ore, sub- In testimonylwhereof I affix my signature in stantially asset forth. presence of twowitnesses.

13. In an ore washer or concentrator, the CHARLES F. PIKE. combinationof a feed device for feeding dif- Witnesses: ferent grades of ore intothe vessel, and a dis- THOS. S. RODGERS,

charge device for removing the waste matters JAMES T. DAILY.

